CHICAGO (AP) — Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan says an agreement with
an Indiana company to remove petroleum coke from Chicago's Southeast Side
will help protect residents from a serious health threat.

Madigan and Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced the deal Thursday.

The material called "petcoke" is a byproduct of oil refining that's been
accumulating along Midwest shipping channels, sparking health and
environmental concerns.

Madigan's office is working on legislation to address the issue statewide.

Emanuel says Chicago and Illinois are catching up on safeguards that
should've been in place long ago.

Hammond, Ind.-based Beemsterboer Slag Corp. couldn't be reached for comment
Thursday. But the company has already been removing carbon-based products
from its Chicago facilities and has said it is cooperating fully.